Program Assistant - Youth Sports (5183)

YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

The Program Assistant supports the Y’s work as a nonprofit committed to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The role builds positive, nurturing relationships with children and cooperative relationships with parents and caregivers, staff, and community partners. It promotes youth potential, peer connections, achievement, and belonging through a quality program experience. The assistant plans and implements classes focused on a specific topic and skill mastery, with a session-ending exposition or showcase. The role maintains children’s safety and supervision, supports positive behavior, follows program and safety standards, maintains sites, equipment, and records, and communicates with families. It also participates in family events, program activities, meetings, and training, and follows YMCA policies, applicable regulations, and reporting procedures.

Requirements

At least 16 years old.
High school diploma or equivalent.
Employees under 18 must have a school-issued work permit.
Ability to assist with planning, organizing, and implementing age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate activities focused on a specific area.
Ability to develop positive, authentic relationships with people from different backgrounds.
Strong character values, including respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring.
Strong communication skills and emotional maturity.
Current approved First Aid certification.
Adult, Infant, and Child CPR certifications.
Complete child abuse prevention training before the first day in the program.
Physical, visual, and auditory ability to perform essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodations.
Ability to plan, lead, and participate in activities.
Ability to lift 30–35 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience working with school-age children in a group setting.
Experience with diverse populations.
Completed semester units in child development, human services, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Nurture children through purposeful programming that builds achievement, belonging, and relationships among youth and families.
Maintain close visual supervision of assigned children and follow program-specific ratios; ensure that children are never left unsupervised or alone with a staff member.
Help children manage behavior through proactive strategies, redirection, and constructive discipline using natural and logical consequences.
Support inclusion and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act where appropriate.
Plan and implement classes around a specific topic and skill mastery, culminating in an exposition or showcase at the end of the session.
Follow program standards, including safety and cleanliness requirements; maintain program sites, equipment, and required records.
Cultivate positive relationships and communicate effectively with parents; engage parents as volunteers and connect them to the YMCA.
Attend and participate in family events, program activities, staff meetings, and trainings as needed.
Follow YMCA policies and procedures for medical and disciplinary situations, child abuse prevention, emergencies, safety, supervision, mandated reporting, and risk management.
Follow reporting procedures and proactively respond to situations to ensure a safe environment.
Comply with current federal, state, and local regulations and YMCA policies and procedures.
Maintain positive relationships with parents, YMCA team members, and community partners, and model relationship-building skills, including Listen First.
Demonstrate the Six Pillars of Character and YMCA Core Values in dealings with members, guests, volunteers, and fellow staff.
Demonstrate and develop competencies in mission advancement, collaboration, operational effectiveness, and personal growth.
Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor.